Cushion-tired wheel.



N. GRATZ.

CUSHION TIRED WHEEL. APPLIOATION FILED 00T. 5, 1911.

1,086,829, v PatentedAug.2'7,1912.

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N. GRATZ.

CUSHION TIRED WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. s, 1911.

Patented Allg. 27,1912.

2 gung-SHEET z.

IIIIII STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

NORMAN GRATZ, 0F BOISE, IDAHO.

CUSHION-TIRED WHEEL.

To all whom t may concern.' i

Be it known that I, NORMAN GRATZ a citizen ot' thc United States, residing in Boise, in the county of Ada and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushion-Tired Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wheels of the class in which provision is made for absorbing shocks or vibrations and increasing the traction of the wheel by means of a tire which is constructed to yield radially as the wheel rotates. Such wheels are commonly employed in automobiles, but are also used on other vehicles. Wheels with pneumatic tires are now almost universally used forthis purpose but such tires when punctured or slightly ruptured are rendered inoperative and furthermore are very expensive.

The object of my invention is to provide wheels of this class with novel means for absorbing shocks or vibrations and increasing the traction which are comparatively inexpensive and which are not rendered inoperative by puncture or rupture of the tread portion oir' the tire.

According to my invention I make the hub, spokes, and felly of the wheel of usual construction and I attach to the felly a trough-shaped rim (which I call the inner rim) which serves as a guide for an outer rim made in segmentalv sections which are separated from each other, their ends overlapping and being supported by radially movable plungers which are normally pressed outward yieldingly but which are capable of moving radially inward to allow the outer rim sect-ions to move inward to absorb whatever shocks or vibrations may be encountered. y

In order .to insure the easy movement of the rim sections I interpose anti-friction rollers between the heads of the plungers and the overlapping ends of the rim sections and also between the inwardly projecting flanges of the outer rim sections and the radial flanges of the inner rim. A

In order to exclude dirt, water, etc., and to provide a suitable tread, I employ 4a cover preferably made of rubber and canvas or similar material which incloses the rim sections and is att-ached to the outer faces of the radial flanges of the inner rim.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 5, 1911.

Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

Serial No. 652,903.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l 1s a sectional view of a portion of a vehicle wheel with my improvements applied. Fig. 2 shows a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail view in section showing the roller bearing between one of the plungers and an overlapping out-er rim section. Fig. L shows a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. l but on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a perspective view with parts in section and parts broken away showing the relation of some of the parts of the tire. Fig. 6 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modification.

The spokes A are attached as usual at vtheir outer ends to a telly B and to the periphery of the telly is secured in any suitable way (as by screws Z9) a trough-shaped inner rim C, the radial side fianges c of which serve to confine and guide the radial sides of the outer rim sections. The outer rim is composed of a series of segmental sections D completely surrounding the inner rim. These sections are separated from each other and their end port-ions are beveled and overlap and rest upon the outer surface of the heads e of the plungers E which are radially arranged and are pressed yieldinglyoutward. The rim sections D, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, are U-shaped in cross section. The` lianges CZ which are straight and parallel with each other extend inward while the outer part fl is .curved longitudinally and transversely. The opposite ends of the heads e of the plungers ex`` tend between the flanges d as clearly shown. The flanges oZ are formed with radial slots f through which extend bolts or rods F secured to the sides c of the inner rim. This construction limits the radial movement of the outer rim sections and also prevents endwise movement thereof. The sides 0l of the sections D lie close to the flanges c of the inner' rim and in order to render theradial `movement of the outer rim sections `easy I interpose anti-friction rollers G between the flanges c and al. I also arrange antifricton rollers I-I in the heads of the plungers E. These rollers H are seated in recesses in the heads e of the plungers and bear against the beveled overlapping end portions of the `outer rim sections in order that movement of the rim sections endwise on the plungers may be smooth and easy. As shown in Fig. 3 the rollers H are tapered properly to conform to the contour of the portions of the rim sections D which they engage.

As before stated the plungers E are pressed radially outward yieldingly. This may be accomplished in various ways. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the inwardly extending shank e of each plunger ypasses into a cylinder I set radially on the inner rim and extends through this rim and through the felly being closed at its inner end by a cap z'. rlhe inner end of the shank e carries a piston a" of suitable construction and the opening in the` outer end of the cylinder I is suitably packed as shown at 2. Each plunger is associated with a cylinT der in this wayy and the several cylinders are connected by pipes J. One of the cylinders is provided with a nipple to which a pump may be applied to charge all the cylinders with air and press the plungers and the outer rim sections supported thereby outward. Instead of employing compressed air for this purpose, I may employ springs, as shown in Fig. 6. In this case a cylinder K which extends radially through the inner rim and the felly is open at both ends and ak short tube section Lis arranged in the inner end of the cylinder which latter is closed by a cap Kf. A spring M which sur` rounds the shank e is interposed between the outer end of the tube section and the inner end of the head of the plunger and serves to press the plunger outward. The innerV end of the shank of the plunger eX- tends into the tube section and is guided thereby, and inasmuch as the tube section is loose, the movementof the plunger is' made much easier. The tension of the spring may be regulated by the cap K. l

vIn order to press the outer rimVsect-ions upon the plungers tol exclude dust, water, etc.,- and to provide a suitable tread for the wheel, I inclose the rim sections and the outerV portions of the plungers by a cover N preferably made of rubber and canvas. This covering is attached to the outer faces of the.l side flanges o of the inner rim by rings P and screws p, or in any other suitable way. 1 l

By my improvements I yprovide va wheel with a cushion tirewhich will operate quite as efficiently as the ordinary pneumatic tire Without the objections incident to such a tire. Shocks and vibrations aref satisfactorily absorbed, noises eliminated and a good tread isaforded. Punctures or slight ruptures in no way interfere with the action of the covering device land 'the cost of manufact-ure is much less than that of the commonly used pneumatic tire.

I claim as my invention:

l. A cushion tired wheel, comprising an inner rim, a series of independently movable outer rim sections curved longitudinally and transversely and having beveled ends, radially movable plungers pressed outward yieldingly and having on their outer ends heads curved longitudinally and ,transversely and the outer faces of which are overlapped by the beveled, ends of the rim sections which rest on said heads and are movable circumferentially relativel.1 there to, and anti-friction rollers tapered in opposite directions and seated in said heads on which the ends of the rim sections rest.

2. A cushion tired wheel, comprising an inner rim having outwardly extending side flanges, a series of outer rim sections which are curved longitudinally and transversely, have spaces between their ends and have side flanges extending inward between the flanges of the inner rim, a cover inclosing said rim sections, and radially movable plungers yieldingly supported by the inner rim and having heads curved longitudinally and transversely and which `are pressed outward radially through said spa-ces against the cover and which are movable radially inward without moving saidv outer rim sections, the outer faces of said heads neXt the cover being overlapped by theends of the rim sections which rest on the outer faces of said heads and are movable circumferentially thereon.

3. A cushion tired wheel, comprising an inner rim, a yseries of outer rim sections which are curved longitudinally and transversely and have beveled ends with spaces between them, a cover inclosing said rim sections and radially movable plungers having heads curved longitudinally and transversely and which are pressed yieldingly outward radially through said spaces against the cover and which fill said spaces, the outer faces of said heads next the cover being overlapped by the beveled ends of the rim sections which rest on said heads are movable circumferentially thereon and with said heads form an unbroken curved surface neXt the cover.

VIn testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

. NORMAN GRATZ.

. 5 Witnesses M. L. HART, `M. T. lDoucnass.

Copies of this patent may be obtainedlor five cents each, by addressing vthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

